5 successful tips for nailing that internship job

Internships are invaluable. As college
students you MUST complete at least one (if not multiple)
internship during your study breaks. One of the main benefits of
internships are that they give you work experience. More and more
employers want new hires to have some work experience in the
industry or job that you would like to pursue.

It also allows you to acquire more
well-rounded experiences and you get to also see first-hand how
companies function on a day to day basis. More importantly the
experiences provide you invaluable understanding
of the business and industry in which you want to work in once you
graduate. Internships also help you grow in confidence, build your
professional network or even get you hired right out of
college!

Here are five tips that will help you get
the internship of your dreams.

1. Figure
yourself out

Assuming this is your first internship search,
the first thing you want to do is to really figure out a few things
first. Ask yourself these questions;

What do I really want from this internship and the
organization I’ll be working for?

What kind of job should I be applying to or and which
industry?

What do I want/need to learn from this internship? (You must
really think through about why you want an internship and what you
personally hope to get out of it.)

When exactly do I need to start and end the internship? How
long should my internship last? (Typically 3 months but the longer
the better to prove your worth)

How long am I willing to commute daily to get to and from work?
What are my financial needs?

Am I willing to move out of state or country to pursue the
internship?

If you can figure out the answers to these
questions, then you will be able to streamline the companies you
want to apply to. These answers will also come in handy
during your job interviews.

2. Look
everywhere

You honestly cannot predict where and when you
might run into your pot of gold. Use every resource you possibly
can to find the right internship. Work with your school’s career
counsellors, let your professors know you are looking for an
internship, ask fellow students where they did their internships,
use your school’s network alumni, tap into the resources your
parents and friends might have.

Scour the web such as JobStreet.com for internship
postings; go to career fairs, talks and events in the field of
your interest. Introduce yourself and network with people
in the industry at these events and let them know you are
looking for an internship. Make an effort to be
at the right place and at the right time.

Don’t limit yourself to just one job
specification or one industry or type of organization. Keep an open
mind, especially towards companies, location, and industries. You
may end up finding passion in a place you never expected! If you
stay open to the right opportunities, great experiences will
follow.

(Tip: When searching for internships, remember
that it’s never too early to start thinking about your career, and
that any experience helps.)

3.
Make that resume shine!

One of the first things you want to do even
before actively searching for an internship is to build a
strong resume
and cover letter. You want to make sure that your resume is
absolutely pristine. That means no grammatical errors!

In addition to making sure that the resume and
applications are error-free, you must make sure that you
include information that employers frequently want to know about
such as relevant experience you have in the industry, as well as
any special knowledge you may have acquired in the field thus far,
preferably toward the top of the document or in some other
prominent place.

Keep it short and concise! (preferably 2
pages) If you’re having a hard time compressing it, cut out
things the least important. Also, cut out anything that is from
high school or not relevant to your degree/career. Always write a
cover letter in addition to submitting your resume. Tailor your
cover letter with details on what makes you a good fit and why you
chose this company for an internship.

(Tip: Create your profile with JobStreet.com and
use their resume format that most employers preferred. It’s free,
convenient and customisable. Once done you can start applying for
internships and even print it out to attend interviews.)

4. Apply
early

Most companies have deadlines for internship
applications which are oftentimes months before the start of the
internship itself. Missing the application date for an internship
that you really wanted can be devastating and will likely take you
out of the running before you even had the chance to apply.

If the internship you are applying for is a requirement
by your faculty, chances are there will be plenty of paperwork
that will need to be submitted. You want to give yourself, the
faculty and the organization you are applying for enough time to
process each document.

Even if you have not missed any deadlines yet, you
still don’t want the entire process to be rushed. Not only will
this make you a stressed out mess, it also increases the chances of
accidentally missing out required documents and materials or
sending out the wrong one without having enough time to rectify the
mistake.

5. Impress
at the interviews

You are here because your resume and application has
impressed a future employer and this is the time to
shine.. brighter than a diamond. You never get a second
chance to make a first impression. You will want to do whatever you
can to impress the people you are interviewing with. This can be
done through the language that you use, the clothing that you wear,
and how you approach the questions.

Research the company before interviewing. Find out
their values and buzzwords. Use references to those values and
buzzwords in your interview. Get acquainted with common interview
questions and how to answer them. There are many standard questions
that tend to get asked and how you answer them is important.

Ask a friend or family or even your college’s career
services department to help you prepare for the interview. Having a
few mock interviews with someone you’re comfortable with can help
you prepare for the real thing when the time comes.

When searching for internships, remember that it’s
never too early to start thinking about your career, and that any
experience helps.

Finding the perfect internship is every college
student’s’ dream. Even more important, is the impact that it will
have on your overall career. If you miss out on an internship with
your dream company, don’t let that stop you from re-applying in the
future. When you fail try again! With time and diligence, your
efforts will pay off — in an internship that gives you the
experience you need to land the future job you want.